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Safety Expert: What to do in event of active shooting to increase chance of survival

John Matarese

5:46 PM, Nov 5, 2018

3:46 PM, Nov 7, 2018

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It’s a fact of life these days. Someone can walk into any workplace or gathering place with a gun and start shooting. If you suddenly encountered a shooter, would you know how to survive? From Parkland to Pittsburgh, there are words we’ve heard too many times. Announcements that say, "We have an active shooter. Stand by for further information."

Newsy / Kevin Clancy

(WXYZ) - It’s a fact of life these days. Someone can walk into any workplace or gathering place with a gun and start shooting. If you suddenly encountered a shooter, would you know how to survive?

From Parkland to Pittsburgh, there are words we’ve heard too many times. Announcements that say, "We have an active shooter. Stand by for further information."

Jim Hardman, a desert storm army veteran who teaches survival classes, says in an active shooting everyone should know to run, hide, fight. It starts with knowing where the exits are.

“You're always looking around, always aware," Hardman said. "Yes, I walk into a new business. Where can I get out? Where is my escape?”

He adds that you should always be careful if you are able to run.

"If I decide to run, I move with a purpose," he said. "I’m not just running though the center of aisles or the center of a room to try to get away. I say there’s the shooter, where can I move to get to a position of cover?”

As far as hiding, he says look for a spot that could stop gunfire.

"Position to where I've got that filing cabinet, that copier, something that's heavy."

Hardman stresses that if active killing starts, rationalization is out the door and you don’t want to try talking to an attacker.

Finally, if you must fight, you are urged to blind the shooter with a flashlight. Then, knock down his weapon. It could save your life by knowing exactly what to do and how to react when lives are on the line.